Top spinning device



Jan. 30, 1940. E. B. THIGPE'N 2,188,324

TOP SPINNING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1938 111111111111 VIIIIIIIIIIIL EmmiZZBT/z'ypew I INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Jan. 30, 1940 Emmitt B. Thigpen, Macon.

fourth to Wylie A. Mason, and John W. Douglas. Bibb County, Ga.

Ga., assignor of oneoneqfourth to Application April 8, 1938, Serial ;No. 200,981

1 Claim.

This invention relates to top spinning-devices, and its general object is; to provide a device of that. character which is capable of spinning a top with minimumeffort on the part of the user, as well as to cause the top to spin for a longer period of time than is possible by the use of a cord now generally employed for that purpose, in that my spinning device includes a spring to be wound for storing up, energy, with rotatable housing means for and driven by the spring, and to which. the top is detachably associated to be spun therebyv and ejected therefrom.

A further object is to provide a top spinning de-- vice inthe form of apistol, to add to the fun and amusement of spinning the top, in thatthe device includes a handled supporting means of pistol formation having trigger'actuating mechanism therein for releasing the spring means, so that the top is ejected or shot from the spinning means.

Another object is to provide a top which can be spun by a cord in the usual manner, if desired. but my device enables the user to have a.

number of tons spinning'at'the same time. dueto thefact that the tops can be easily and expeditiously spun thereby.

A further objectis to provide a top and sp1nning device there-for that are simple in construction. inexpensive to manufacture, and-extrem'ely efficient in operation. use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts. tobe hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accom-- panying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim. 1

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure-1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the spinning device which forms the subject matter of the present invention, and illustrates a top applied thereto, the top being broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the spinning device and top.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the spring actuated rotating or spinning means.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken therethrough.

Figure 5 is a front View of the spinning means 55 that includes holding and releasing pins for the top.

Figure 6 isa sectional view taken approximately on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken through a modified form of spinning means.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the handled supporting means of my spinning device is in the form 'of a pistol in that it includes a barrel l, a handle 2 and a trigger guard 3. The supporting means is hollow, and is preferably made into a pair of like sections secured together by any suitable means, such as screws 4.

Fixed in the outer end of the barrel I is a plug 5 having a central opening therein, through which extends a shaft 6, the latter being secured in the barrel by a pin 1 and extends a considerable distance therefrom, as best shown in Figure l.

The outer portion of the shaft 6 has formed on or otherwise secured thereto a collar 8 and rotatably mounted on' the shaft Band held ac-' cordingly by the collar, is a relatively flat cylin-' drical housing 9 having a flat coiled spring l0 therein, coiled about the collarli with the outer the housing 9 by a rivet orthe like I i. In Figure 4 it will be noted that the'inner end of the spring 7 I0 is associated with the collar 8, by an. arcuate strip [2 which is preferably a piece of the leaf spring cut therefrom and arranged toprovide a channel for receiving the inner end of the spring |0,assh0wn.'. I 1

In the modified form of Figure '7,it will be noted that the collar 8 is provided with a notch I3, with the inner end of the spring l0 mounted in the notch. However, the inner end of the spring may be associated with the collar by any suitable means, providing it is notfixed thereto, as a loose connection with the collaris necessary in order to prevent the spring from breaking on the recoil thereof.

The cylindrical wall of the housing preferably hasan annular flange formed thereon and exend of the spring fixed to the cylindrical wall of tending outwardly therefrom for the purpose of receiving a channel bead M formed about the outer edge of the front wall of the housing, for securing the front wall in place, as will be apparent, and fixed to the front wall and extending forwardly therefrom are oppositely inclined studs I5 for a purpose which will be later described, together with that portion l6 of the shaft that extends outwardly from the housing.

The hollow handled supporting means has pivotally mounted therein a trigger mechanism which includes a ring member I! pivoted as at l8, and extending laterally from the ring memholes 28 are inclined studs, for fitting association of the latter therein,

her I! is a stud l9 for receiving one end of a leaf spring 20 that is coiled about the pivot 18, with the opposite end engaging the upper wall of the body of the supporting means, as shown in Figure 1. Formed on the ring member l1 and extending from the periphery thereof is a trigger energy therein. The lever 23 extends through an opening in the plug to be guided and supported thereby.

' The top which is indicated by the reference numeral 25 is of special construction, in that it includes a disk-shaped head 26. However, the body is of the usual conical formation with a plug 21 mounted in and secured to the apex portion thereof, as shown. The disk-shaped head 26 is provided with a flat outer'face for engagement with the outer wall of the housing 9, and has a bore 21' centrally arranged therein for the'pur pose of receivingthe extending portion l6 of the shaft. The head 26 is likewise provided with a pair of holes 28 disposed upon opposite sides of the bore 21", for receiving the studs i5 and theto the same degree as the as will be apparent.

In the use of my toy or spinning device, it

will be obvious that the trigger is movedagainst I the action of the leaf spring 20 for moving the lever 23 out of an opening 24, thence the housing is rotated for winding the spring ill to store up,

completely energy therein. When the spring is wound, the trigger is released to allow the lever 23 to again be disposed in one of the openings 24 for holding the. housing against rotation. The top is then applied to the studs l5 and portion it of the shaft, as shown in Figure l, with the result it will be apparent that when the trigger;

is pulled at this time, the housing is released from the lever 23, and caused to rotate by the spring I0. Such action will of course rotate or spin the top 25 and eject or shoot the same from the studs member and ex--- l5 and portion l6 of the shaft.

While I have illustrated a top of a special construction, a top of the usual construction can be spun by my device, merely by 21 and the holes 28 in the upper end thereof.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the in-E vention'willbeireadily apparent. S, Q 7

It is to be understood that changes may bev made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of theseveral parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended -claim.

What'I claim is:

' A top spinning device comprising handled supporting means in the form of a pistol including a handle and a barrel, a shaft secured in and extending from the outer end of the barrel, a

notched collar secured to the inner end of the: extending portion'of the shaft, a fiat cylindrical housing rotatably' mounted on theshaft about the collar and held by the latter, a flat coiled spring withinthe housing and wound about the collar, said spring havingits outer-end secured providing the bore to the cylindrical wallof the housing and its inner end mounted in the notch of the 'collar for loose association therewith, whereby upon ro-' tation of the housing in one'directio-n the spring will be wound to store up energy therein for roi tating the'housing in an opposite direction, di-

ametrically opposed studs extending fromflthe outer wall of the housingand'inclined in'opposite directions Withrespect to each other, a top including a head provided with a'flat'face en-' gageable with the outer wall of the housing, head having holes therein to fittingly receive the studs and a bore to receive the extending portion of the shaft-for .detachably securing the top to the housing to be ejected therefromupon rotation thereof by the spring,saidhousing-havsaid iv ing openings in the inner wall thereof, and means within and movable through the barrel to be received in any one -ofthe openings of the hous-- Q and j ing for holding the latter-against rotation, spring pressed. trigger means mounted in the.- supporting means andhavin-g thezholding means pivotally connected thereto 'for actuating the same; I

' EMMITT B. THIGPEN; 

